FRISCO, Texas -- The Dallas Cowboys open their organized team activities this week, giving the first on-field glimpse of the 90-man roster.
Edge rusher Micah Parsons hinted a few weeks ago that he might sit out some of the OTA work, though he took part in the voluntary offseason program last week. Cornerback Trevon Diggs is in the midst of his rehab from left knee surgery. Quarterback Dak Prescott will be limited as he continues to work back from right hamstring avulsion surgery last season.
The Cowboys have been active in the offseason. They traded for a starting wide receiver (George Pickens), a starting linebacker (Kenneth Murray Jr.), potentially a starting cornerback (Kaiir Elam) and a backup quarterback (Joe Milton III) via deals with the Pittsburgh Steelers, Tennessee Titans, Buffalo Bills and New England Patriots, respectively.
They added a number of free agents, reverting back to their pre-2024 form of filling holes before the draft with cost-efficient signings such as pass rusher Dante Fowler Jr., running backs Miles Sanders and Javonte Williams, and defensive linemen Solomon Thomas and Payton Turner.
Since the OTAs are not in full pads, it is difficult to make decisions on personnel, but there is still work to consider on the roster. Here are three remaining questions:
Who is the nickel cornerback?
Jourdan Lewis cashed in with the Jacksonville Jaguars (three years, $30 million max), leaving a hole on the field and in the locker room. How the Cowboys deal with the position is partially health-related. Diggs might not be ready when the season starts. Third-round pick Shavon Revel Jr. is expected to be able to practice at some point in training camp, as he works his way back from a torn left ACL suffered in September. Caelen Carson is coming back from offseason shoulder surgery.
In 2022, DaRon Bland worked the slot after Lewis suffered a severe foot injury. In 2023, he set an NFL record with five interception returns for touchdown and led the league with nine picks. He missed 10 games in 2024 with a stress fracture in his left foot.
Bland can handle the role if needed, but he might be too valuable as an outside corner. Elam has played outside. So has Carson. Revel will be asked to adapt to the NFL while coming back from the knee injury, so moving him inside could be a tough ask.
If it's not Bland, then who? Perhaps the Cowboys look to the free agent market as a stop-gap measure.
Figure out OT3
Tyler Guyton goes into the spring as the left tackle. Terence Steele is the right tackle. Who will fill the swing tackle role that Chuma Edoga handled most of the past two seasons?
The Cowboys need Guyton to take the second-year jump in order for their line to take a big leap under new coordinator Klayton Adams (a former line coach) and offensive line coach Conor Riley. But if he doesn't, whom do they turn to?
Asim Richards played well enough in small doses last season. He also showed he can play some guard. Hakeem Adenije started five games at tackle in three years with the Cincinnati Bengals but played guard last season with the Minnesota Vikings. Saahdiq Charles was out of football last year but started eight games at tackle for the Washington Commanders for three years before moving to guard in 2023.
Matt Waletzko and Ajani Cornelius, a rookie, also are in the mix.
The feeling is the Cowboys want to keep Tyler Smith at left guard and view him as an emergency option at left tackle if things don't work well with Guyton. But coach Brian Schottenheimer did say starting "the best five" will be their goal, so don't rule it out.
Defensive tackle depth
This really isn't so much about the under-tackle spot. The Cowboys re-signed Osa Odighizuwa to a $20 million-a-year contract in March. Thomas can play there as well. In passing situations, it wouldn't be a surprise to see Marshawn Kneeland kick inside, too.
This is about the nose tackle spot.
Mazi Smith, the 2023 first-round pick, is entering a critical season. He had positive moments in 2024, just not enough of them. The Cowboys selected Jay Toia in the seventh round of this year's draft. At 342 pounds, he has the bulk to handle the rigors of the nose tackle spot.
After that, it's rookie Tommy Akingbesote and second-year tackles Denzel Daxon and Justin Rogers.
Last year, the Cowboys signed veteran Linval Joseph toward the end of training camp. It's possible they make another trip down that lane if they don't like what they see in the summer.
But remember this: When Matt Eberflus was the Cowboys' linebackers coach, Dallas had the No. 1-ranked run defense in 2016 with veteran Terrell McClain as its starting nose tackle.
The Cowboys' run defense will be about effort from the entire front seven, if not bulk from a few interior linemen.